Thiruvananthapuram: About 17 years ago, the classmates of a ninth-grade student in a school in Muvattupuzha, Ernakulam district, dared him to get a copy of “Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows," which had just been released in 2007 and was in high demand.
The situation wasn't as simple as going to a bookstore and buying the book. Some adventure was involved because the boy couldn't afford to purchase the book, the price of which was five times higher than his school fee. So, the only option was to shoplift the book from the "New College Book Stall", Muvattupuzha. Being a bookaholic and someone who can go to any extent to lay his hands on a book, the teenager embarked on the mission straightaway.
While searching through several books, his eyes fixated on the Harry Potter book which was lying near the counter. Within no time he picked the book without anyone noticing him. Soon after coming out of the shop, he was fortunate to find a bus heading towards his home.
Seventeen years later: Rees Thomas, who is now writer and assistant director of Malayalam films Guruvayur Ambalanadayil, Luca, Minnal Murali and Kammattipadam, recollected the book theft episode. “I got a hero’s welcome when I came back with the stolen book. For me, it was a priced possession. I got introduced to the Harry Porter world through films, especially of Emma Watson. At that time, affording books was beyond our means. But there used to be a lot of discussion on Harry Potter films and books which increased our curiosity,” he recollected.
"How did the story become public?" Once I shared the story of book theft with my friends in the cinema field. They all listened to it with great interest which prompted me to share the story on Facebook. The post went viral.
Subsequently one of my friends encouraged me to compile such experiences into a book. This is how my maiden book 90'sKid came into being which also includes the Harry Potter book theft episode.
Life came full circle for Rees when he recently visited the bookshop. A staff member at the shop remembered the incident where a book was taken without permission. "I wanted to come to the shop to apologize for what I had done and even was ready to pay for the stolen book. However, for various reasons, I couldn't gather enough courage to face the bookshop staff,” he said.
When the sales of his book 90's Kid began at the New College Bookstall, one of his friends persuaded him to visit the bookshop. Rees says the bookshop owner Devdas was affectionate, he not only bought copies of his book 90'sKids which incidentally was among the best-selling ones but also got them signed by the author.
The owner refused to take money from Rees for the book Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, which enjoys the pride of place in his bookshelf at home.
